5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire Your Next Digital Agency

As the importance of a strong digital presence is becoming more important for businesses, there are also more options available when it comes to finding a digital agency to partner with. As with most types of businesses, the level of service and even the types of services that are offered can vary greatly from agency to agency. A lot of time and planning can go into getting approval from internal stakeholders and budgeting done for a new project, so it is vital that you choose the right digital agency partner by asking the right questions from the start to ensure success. Here are 5 questions to ask before you hire your next digital agency:

1. What are the experience and qualifications of the people within the organization?

This may seem obvious, but digital marketing is a fast-growing industry and it seems like almost everyone “does” digital marketing now. Make sure you get a good understanding of who will be working on your project and what experience they bring to the table. A large, customized enterprise-level project is a very involved process and can be difficult to navigate from start-to-finish. It is important that everyone involved from project managers to developers have the necessary experience to ensure that projects stay on budget and meet expectations.

2. How will the project be billed?

There are many different ways that digital agencies and marketing companies can bill for their work. Some methods protect the client from going over budget more than others and it is important to know the potential implications for your company if the project takes longer than estimated. At Union, we provide detailed estimates for each project, based on hours, that are agreed upon with an acceptable variance prior to the start of a project.

3. What is the level of innovation of the agency’s portfolio?

There are 100’s of millions of websites that exist in today’s digital space. Among all of this clutter, does the agency’s work stand out as something more than just a typical website? A leading digital agency should be innovative and creating their own trends and designs that work to make their clients stand out and successful. If the agency’s portfolio follows the same trends across each project and doesn’t stand out, then that is likely the type of work you should expect to receive for your project.

4. How will success of the project be determined?

A great digital agency understands that a digital platform project is more than just making something that looks great online. With the Internet playing such a large role in today’s business world, a digital platform must focus on, and deliver on, certain specific business goals in order to be considered successful. During the initial stages of the project, make sure the agency has a plan that includes the specific Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) that apply to your business. If the goal of the project is to increase online lead generation by 50%, make sure the agency is accountable on delivering those results to determine success.

5. Is the digital agency truly full-service?

Digital marketing services can include long-term projects like the creation of a digital platform as well as short-term targeted marketing campaigns and content creation.

Some digital marketing agencies only offer web design. Others only offer traffic acquisition campaigns or digital content. When you are searching for your next digital agency you should look for a full-service digital marketing agency that is experienced at all three. Teams at a great digital agency will immerse themselves in a client’s business during a website development project and then will leverage that expertise to run effective ongoing digital marketing campaigns and digital content after the new website launches.

Selecting the right partner can be invaluable when it comes to reaching your business’ goals. Union is a digital marketing agency located in Charlotte, NC. We have worked with some of the SouthEast’s largest and most recognizable brands. If you are looking for a digital agency partner for a project for your business, please contact us today. We would be happy to discuss any of these questions with you and answer any others you may have!

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UNION is a digital marketing agency founded in 2002 and headquartered in Charlotte, NC. Considered a digital marketing leader, UNION collaborates with many of the Southeast region's top brands to achieve business objectives through strategy, creative and technology. The agency specializes in crafting digital marketing platforms, content and campaigns that deliver meaningful and measurable ROI results. Want to work with us?

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